Second best – The Argentina star then moved past the Brazil legend with his second goal of the match against Mallorca, which left Messi nine short of the best tally for a year held by Germany's Gerd Muller.

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Messi moves past Pele milestone6 photos

Proud dad – The 25-year-old has had a new celebration since the birth of his first child, son Thiago, earlier this month.

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Messi moves past Pele milestone6 photos

Award winner – Messi is in line to win a fourth successive world player of the year award in January. Pele presented him with the Ballon d'Or at the start of this year.

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Messi moves past Pele milestone6 photos

Golden boot – Pele scored 75 goals in 1958, when he launched onto the football scene as a 17-year-old and helped Brazil win that year's World Cup.

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Messi moves past Pele milestone6 photos

Goal machine Gerd – That feat was surpassed in 1972 by Muller, who scored 85 goals as West Germany won the European Championship and his club Bayern Munich lifted the Bundesliga title.

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EXPAND GALLERY

It ruined the night for England captain Steven Gerrard, who had hoped to celebrate his 100th cap with victory.

Gerrard told ITV 1: "I still stick by Zinedine Zidane, he is the best player in the world as the best player of his generation, but his (Ibrahimovic's) performance was world class and he just scored one of the best goals I seen live.

"It was his night. If someone scores four goals and the way he scored them....it's one of the best I've seen."

Hodgson added: "The fourth goal was extraordinary, but it was the second and third goals which cost us.

"For 70 minutes we were playing very well and we deserved to be in the lead, but we made changes and they took the initiative."

Elsewhere, France recorded an impressive 2-1 victory over Italy after it came from behind in Parma.

Milan star Stephan El Shaarway gave the hosts the lead only for France to hit back through Mathieu Valbuena and Bafetimbi Gomis.

The highly anticipated grudge match between the Netherlands and Germany failed to catch light as it finished goalless in Amsterdam.